Blogging since 2004 about the significant people, places, sights and sounds of my world. Now enjoying retirement!

Sunday, April 03, 2011

Ralph and Karen here for the Weekend

FRIDAY Ralph and Karen joined us tonight – they’re here until just after breakfast on Sunday. The plan is that Ann and Karen will take the train to London on Saturday for shopping (now there’s a surprise) whilst Ralph and I waited news of my new car.

SATURDAY Good news to start our day then! At around 9.15, Daniel called from the dealership to let me know that the car was ready for pick-up. Yippee! So Ralph dropped me down there and after a through briefing at the dealership, I was ready to take control of the beast!

...and what a beast! Quite apart from it absolutely bristling with technology (AFL -adaptive forward lighting, FLEXride -automatic ride control and adaptive 4x4 and many, many other toys I haven’t had before on a car), it looks great too – especially with those ‘pimp-my-ride-no-I’m-not-a-drug-dealer-officer’ 20 inch alloys!!!

As boys do, we spent the rest of the day, polishing it, and photographing it and then polishing it again! Lovely job if I say so myself!!

The girls got back from London about 5.30 having had a great day together – and having hardly spent any money. I checked I wasn’t dreaming, but it was true! – Another reason to celebrate then!

In the evening, we drove over to ‘The Wheatsheaf’ at Titchmarsh. It gave me chance to to try out the new car with 4 up, and see how it handled – nice job – comfy, pokey and lots of tech on the dashboard relaying information about the journey.

Even though we were early, the place soon filled up and it was completely full by the time we were served our starters. Not surprising really, as the food (as always) was first class, and the service was spot-on.

We had a really good time – for me, there’s something extra special about going out in the lighter evenings that makes it even more-so. Suitable stuffed, we headed home, where it gave me an opportunity to try out the ‘Sport’ setting on the FLEXride system. In short, when the button is pressed, in the blink of an eye, the car stiffens up the shocks, tightens the steering and changes the gear ratios, so the car is more responsive. But best of all, it changes the car instrument lighting to a cool red colour – it’s surely worth it, just for that!!!!

I noticed that the car had returned 31mpg, which I suppose is not bad considering it’s new, and I didn’t exactly take it gently

We got in about 10 and it was soon obvious that our day had caught up with us – the girls, all shopped-out, and Ralph and I, all polished-out!

10.30pm: ‘Time for bed’ said Zebede

SUNDAY A lazy morning then! Ann and Karen surfed the net whilst Ralph and I faffed around with some of the settings on the new car.

11.00am: Ralph and Karen had to get back to theirs, so they left just after 11 to allow enough time to get home and do their big Sainsbury-shop.

Ann and I spent the rest of the day tidying-up the house and getting a few other jobs out-of-the-way.